From the longest running column in Scientific American's history comes this collection of fascinating projects for amateur astronomers For over seventy years, "The Amateur Scientist" column in Scientific American has helped people explore their world and make original discoveries. This collection of both classic and recent articles presents projects for amateur astronomers at all levels. Hands-on astronomy fans will find how to build inexpensive astronomical instruments using ordinary shop-tools. From making a telescope to predicting satellite orbits to detecting the chemical composition of faraway stars, this book has something for everyone interested in practical astronomy.

In Seeing in the Dark, a poetic love letter to science and to the skies, Timothy Ferris invites us all to become stargazers. He recounts his own experiences as an enthralled lifelong amateur astronomer and reports from around the globe -- from England and Italy to the Florida Keys and the Chilean Andes -- on the revolution that's putting millions in touch with the night sky. In addition, Ferris offers an authoritative and engaging report on what's out there to be seen -- what Saturn, the Ring nebula, the Silver Coin galaxy, and the Virgo supercluster really are and how to find them. The appendix includes star charts, observing lists, and a guide on how to get involved in astronomy. Ferris takes us inside a major revolution sweeping astronomy, as lone amateur astronomers, in global networks linked by the Internet, make important discoveries that are the envy of the professionals. His ability to describe the wonders of the universe is simply magical, and his enthusiasm for his subject is irresistible.

Finally, the entire body of our scientific knowledge of the universe is available in one definitive volume. Scientific American, the oldest and most popular science magazine in the world, has prepared the most comprehensive and comprehensible book on the subject ever. Under the direction of renowned astronomer David H. Levy, this spectacular book assembles the best minds in science to give clear and accessible explanations of the nature of the cosmos. Newly commissioned essays by working scientists at the top of their fields and classic writings by such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Francis Crick, and Carl Sagan take us to the frontiers of space and time-from sub-atomic particles to the edge of the universe. Both thoughtful and provocative, this book asks-and answers-the big questions, such as: o How did our solar system evolve? o What forces lie at the center of the atom? o What is the size of the universe? o What is dark matter? o What is the possibility of extraterrestrial life? o What is the importance of superstrings? o How do galaxies form? Dazzling full-color and black-and-white photographs aid in articulating the latest theories about the size, age, nature, and expansion of the universe, and make this book a delight to behold. Essays are grouped by topic, from the largest phenomena, such as the formation of the universe, down to the smallest detail, such as the makeup of an atom. In addition, each section contains an illuminating introduction by David Levy that binds the essays together and creates a whole picture. The Scientific American Book of the Cosmos is a valuable addition to the bookshelf of both professional astronomers and science enthusiasts alike.

Astronomy enthusiasts, science gurus, and all curious minds, are provided nearly two dozen experiments that will certainly garner multiple science-fair awards. Each experiment exhibits clear, safe instructions with descriptive text and detailed photography. They will see why light bends in a medium, how to determine the size of the sun, and how gravity works, as they practice the experiments. As hands-on learning tools, experiments are not only educational, they're fun, too.

Holograms have been in the public eye for over a half-century, but their influences have deeper cultural roots. No other visual experience is quite like interacting with holograms; no other cultural product melds the technological sublime with magic and optimism in quite the same way. As holograms have evolved, they have left their audiences alternately fascinated, bemused, inspired or indifferent. From expressions of high science to countercultural art to consumer security, holograms have represented modernity, magic and materialism. Their most pervasive impact has been to galvanise hopeful technological dreams. Engineers, artists, hippies and hobbyists have played with, and dreamed about, holograms. This book explores how holograms found a place in distinct cultural settings. It is aimed at readers attracted to pop culture, visual studies and cultural history, scholars concerned with media history, fine art and material studies and, most of all, cross-disciplinary audiences intrigued about how this ubiquitous but still-mysterious visual medium grew up in our midst and became entangled in our culture. This book explores the technical attractions and cultural uses of the hologram, how they were shaped by what came before them, and how they have matured to shape our notional futures. Today, holograms are in our pockets (as identity documents) and in our minds (as gaming fantasies and 'faux hologram' performers). Why aren't they more often in front of our eyes?

The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers is a unique and valuable resource for historians and astronomers alike. The two volumes include approximately 1550 biographical sketches on astronomers from antiquity to modern times. It is the collective work of about 400 authors edited by an editorial board of 9 historians and astronomers, and provides additional details on the nature of an entry and some summary statistics on the content of entries. This new reference provides biographical information on astronomers and cosmologists by utilizing contemporary historical scholarship. Individual entries vary from 100 to 1500 words, including the likes of the superluminaries such as Newton and Einstein, as well as lesser-known astronomers like Galileo’s acolyte, Mario Guiducci. A comprehensive contributor index helps researchers to identify the authors of important scientific topics and treatises.